Catastrophic Child Injury in Indianapolis

A catastrophic child injury such as a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or a spinal cord injury that results in paralysis can forever change a child’s future. One moment your child is carefree, the next moment he or she is facing lengthy medical treatments and likely a lifetime of impairment. The losses that stem from a childhood TBI or paralysis are immense.

If your child is dealing with TBI or paralysis, you want the best treatment, rehabilitation, and assistance possible to help your child reach his or her greatest potential. However, the medical costs are often astronomical, and that doesn’t include the pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and curtailed future earning potential your child has experienced.

If your child’s TBI or paralysis was caused by someone else’s negligent or careless act, you should not be left wondering where the money will come from to improve your child’s future. The catastrophic injury attorneys at Sevenish Law Firm can help you seek proper compensation from those responsible for your child’s injuries.

Since our firm was established in 1985, we have assisted numerous families in Indianapolis and throughout Indiana with seeking compensation for their children’s losses associated with these serious personal injuries.

If your child has suffered a TBI or paralysis caused by someone else’s negligence, contact us today to learn more about your legal rights and options. Our Indianapolis child injury attorneys can provide a free consultation to answer your questions and discuss a strategy for seeking just compensation for your child.

Traumatic Brain Injuries in Children

TBIs are shockingly common and devastating for children. According to the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA), TBI is the leading cause of disability and death for children and adolescents in the United States. Consider for a moment these statistics from the BIAA:

During an average year, 62,000 children younger than 20 suffer TBIs that requires treatment in the hospital.

Common causes of TBIs in children include car accidents, falls, sports-related injuries, and child abuse.

During a typical year, TBI results in 2,700 deaths, 37,000 hospitalizations, and 435,000 ER visits involving children age 14 and younger.

TBIs are usually catastrophic for an adult. They can be even worse for a child. Part of the reason is that children’s brains are still developing. Experts used to believe that children could recover from TBIs better than adults because children’s brains are more “plastic,” according to the BIAA. New research has shown that the opposite is true. “A brain injury actually has a more devastating impact on a child than an injury of the same severity has on a mature adult,” the BIAA states.

Many of the effects of a TBI may not be immediately apparent in a child. Only with time will some cognitive impairments become evident. The sad fact is many children who have suffered a TBI will face a lifetime of problems associated with the accident.

The brain injury attorneys at Sevenish Law Firm have nearly three decades of experience with assisting those who have suffered a TBI due to someone else’s negligence. We understand how these injuries affect the brain’s functions. We also appreciate the impact that TBI can have on the lives of children and their families. We aggressively seek the compensation that our clients deserve. Further, we are active members and recognized by the National Brain Injury Trial Lawyers Association.

Spinal Injuries and Paralysis in Children

The spinal cord is the way messages are communicated between the brain and the rest of the body. When the spinal cord is damaged, that communication link can be severed, resulting in paralysis. This is one of the worst injuries anyone can suffer, especially children. We understand that it’s difficult for parents to see their child lose the ability to run, play, and move the way they did before they were hurt in an accident.

The causes of spinal cord injuries in children are similar to the causes of TBI. They include car accidents, falls, medical malpractice, and sports-related accidents, among many others. Many of these accidents result from negligence on the part of an adult.

Spinal cord injuries are categorized in several different ways. A spinal cord injury may be complete, meaning there is a total loss of function below the point of injury, or incomplete, meaning some level of function is retained. Depending on the location of the spinal cord injury, it may result in either paraplegia—the loss of function in the legs and trunk—or quadriplegia/tetraplegia—the loss of function of all four limbs, as well as the chest and abdomen.

In addition to the mobility problems caused by paralysis, many other issues are associated with spinal cord injuries, such as loss of bowel and bladder control, breathing problems, high blood pressure, and infections.

While some treatments are available for paralysis, many children who suffer spinal cord injuries face lifelong limitations and a need for assistance, rehabilitation, and medical treatment. A spinal cord injury victim may need to undergo surgery, prolonged hospitalization, or close monitoring in a long-term care facility. The victim may also require:

Mental health counseling

Physical therapy and occupational therapy

A specially-equipped wheelchair, ventilators, and modifications to her home or vehicle.

All of this can cause a tremendous burden on the child’s family.

Legal Help for Children with TBI or Paralysis

Is your family adapting to changes after a child has suffered a catastrophic injury like a TBI or paralysis? Sevenish Law Firm can relieve some of your burden by focusing on aggressively seeking the legal relief you deserve from those responsible for your child’s injury.

In addition to investigating the cause of your child’s accident, we can work closely with medical experts, rehabilitation specialists, life-care planners, and others to determine the full amount of compensation your child deserves. We can then negotiate directly with the at-fault party’s insurance company on your behalf and pursue a full and fair settlement. If no settlement can be reached, we’re prepared to go to battle for you in court.